Academic Information and Policies

Academic Honors

Excellence in scholastic achievement is recognized each semester by the awarding of Academic Honors. Initially, qualifying students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours with an overall grade-point average of 3.5 to be considered eligible. Thereafter, a minimum of six credit hours in a semester and an earned semester grade-point average of at least a 3.5 is required. All course work must be at the 100 level or above. Classes using the credit/no credit grading system, audited, and withdrawn courses are not counted in the calculation and are not used to determine the minimum required credits for eligibility. Repeated courses excluded for the semester will be calculated with the original grade. Students who receive an incomplete for the semester are not eligible until the incomplete course has been graded.

Students awarded academic honors will receive a letter in the mail, and will be included on the honors list published online each semester. Academic Honors will also be noted on their unofficial transcript each semester the award is earned.

Academic Standing

The Kalamazoo Valley Community College Academic Probation Policy is intended to ensure consistency and fairness and target student support in order to increase the opportunity for more Kalamazoo Valley students to attain their academic goals.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is defined as meeting minimum academic standards to assure successful achievement of Kalamazoo Valley graduation requirements. To this end the following policy has been adopted.

Satisfactory Academic Progress/Academic Good Standing – Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or greater.

Academic Warning

Cumulative GPA is less than 2.0.
Students with less than a 2.0 GPA will be notified through their Kalamazoo Valley email, instructor or academic counselor notification, and/or first-class mail.

Students should meet with a counselor by the following dates and develop a shared Student Success Plan (SSP):
- Following the fall semester, prior to February 1st.
- Following the winter semester, prior to June 1st.
- Following the summer semester, prior to October 1st.

It is highly recommended that students register for no more than twelve (12) credit-hours for the next enrolled semester. It is also recommended that students complete only face-to-face courses.
Students are encouraged to complete “Academic Success Training” (AST) with an Educational Professional at the Learning Center. AST is a free, non-credit opportunity for all students.
Once a student has achieved an overall GPA of 2.0 or greater (not semester-based) the academic warning status will be lifted.

Academic Probation

Academic Warning protocol has been met and the student’s semester GPA is less than a 2.0 during this period.
Students with less than a 2.0 GPA will be notified through their Kalamazoo Valley email, instructor or academic counselor notification, and/or first-class mail.
If a student does not achieve an overall semester GPA of 2.0 or greater, further registration will be blocked and released only after meeting with an academic counselor.
Registration will be restricted to no more than nine (9) credit-hours for the next enrolled semester. Online courses are highly discouraged. Students requesting and/or required to register for more than nine (9) credit hours will need to be granted approval from an academic counselor.
Students must attend and successfully complete AST. At the discretion of the academic counselor, this requirement can be waived and/or a substitute identified.
Once a student has achieved a semester-based GPA of 2.0 or greater the academic probation status will be lifted and the student will be moved to an academic warning status.

Academic Dismissal

Academic Probation protocol has been met and the student’s semester GPA during the Academic Probation status is less than a 2.0.
Students with less than a 2.0 GPA will be notified through their Kalamazoo Valley email, instructor or academic counselor notification, and/or first-class mail.
Students meeting academic dismissal criteria will be dismissed at the end of the semester after grades have been posted.
Students must meet with an academic counselor and review/revise their SSP and establish alternative success strategies.
A registration restriction will be placed on the student’s account until the student meets with an academic counselor. In all cases the student will be dismissed in the semester following academic dismissal (fall, winter, or summer).
Once permitted to return to the college the student will remain on Dismissal Reinstatement and must demonstrate consistent satisfactory progress to meet GPA requirements.
No more than two courses are permitted upon reinstatement. Students requesting more than two courses must be granted approval from the Director of Advising and Counseling, who will review and make the final decisions on course limits submitted through the students’ academic standing appeals.
Continued failure to meet satisfactory academic progress may place the student at risk of progressive dismissal from the college.
Upon return and once a student has achieved a semester-based GPA of 2.0 or greater, the student will be moved to academic probation status.

NOTES: If subject to academic dismissal, a student has the right to appeal. The initial appeal will be made in writing using the Academic Dismissal Appeal form. Students must submit this form to the Kalamazoo Valley Advising and Counseling Office, located in Student Development Services, on or before the deadline outlined on the form itself.

Accreditation

Kalamazoo Valley is an institutional member and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Various programs of study are also licensed and/or accredited by appropriate boards and associations. Enrolled and prospective students who wish to review the college’s accreditation documents should contact the Provost and Vice President for Instruction and Student Services.

Athletic Information

In accordance with the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act and the Student Right-to-Know Act, Kalamazoo Valley will make available to students, prospective students, and the public, specified information regarding athletics at Kalamazoo Valley. Contact the Athletic Director at 269.488.4393 for more information.

Attendance Standards

Students must be registered for the classes they attend. Attendance requirements are determined by the course instructor. Students who do not meet the attendance requirement as determined by the instructor may be involuntarily removed from the course and may also risk loss of financial aid.

Students who fail to attend the first scheduled class meeting or who fail to contact the instructor regarding absence before the first scheduled class meeting, may, at the option of the instructor, be removed from the course. At the beginning of each course, the instructor will provide students with written attendance requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to consult with the instructor regarding “official absences.” Absences begin to accumulate with the first scheduled class meeting.

Students bear the responsibility of notifying the Admissions, Registration and Records Office when they discontinue studies in a course or at the college. Discontinuing class attendance and/or notifying the instructor is not an official drop/withdrawal.

Official absences are those that occur when students are involved in an official activity of the college - i.e., field trips, tournaments, athletic events - and present an absence-excuse form. Absences for such events shall not count against the number of absences allowed by an instructor or department.

In the event of the death of an immediate family member, absences for periods of up to one week will not be counted against the number of absences allowed by an instructor or department. Students should contact the instructor(s) as soon as possible to arrange for make-up work. Appropriate documentation may be required (for example, a copy of the obituary or funeral program). In specialized programs that require clinical rotations, this regulation may not apply.

Religious Holidays

Students shall have the right to observe major religious holidays without penalty or reprisal by any administrator, instructor, or employee of the college. Absences for such holidays shall not count against the number of absences allowed by an instructor or department. At least one week before the holiday, students shall submit to their instructor(s) a written statement that includes both the date of the holiday and the reason why class attendance is inconsistent with their religious beliefs and duties. Prior arrangements must be made with each instructor for make-up work. If prior arrangements have been made, the student will not be penalized.

Financial Aid Recipients

Federal regulations require class attendance. You must meet class attendance standards before federal financial aid disburses to your account. Class attendance standards include participation as defined by each instructor. To comply with this federal requirement, instructors will be monitoring and reporting your attendance status. Federal aid recipients reported as not meeting class attendance standards will be administratively dropped from those classes. In turn, your financial aid award will be reviewed to determine if the reduced number of credit hours will impact your financial aid eligibility. If an adjustment is required, the aid office will revise your award and notify you of this action.

Online and Blended Course Attendance

Online: 100% of your coursework will be completed online. You will not be required to attend class on campus but might be required to take proctored exams at an approved testing center.

Blended: 20-80% of your course attendance will be online. On campus attendance will be required with some reduced face-to-face time to account for the activities you are responsible for completing online (e.g., laboratory strategies require on campus attendance while the lecture/discussion portion may be partially online). Campus attendance will be pre-determined and specifically stated and explained in the class schedule and in the instructor’s class assignment schedule. In addition, you might be required to take proctored exams at an approved testing center.

Course Grades

At the conclusion of each course, a student’s grade is determined based on such factors as the quality, quantity, and speed of the academic work. The grade becomes part of a permanent transcript that can be viewed inside My Valley on the Kalamazoo Valley website. Questions should be directed to the instructor. Students have one year to make corrections to their academic record or seek a change in a grade from an instructor.

Kalamazoo Valley uses a numerical grading system that is defined as follows:

4.0 Outstanding

3.5 Much better than average

3.0 Better than average

2.5 Slightly better than average

2.0 Average

1.5 Less than average

1.0 Poor

0.0 Failing

I Incomplete —at least two-thirds of work is completed at a passing level, but course objectives are not yet met. This grade is given at the discretion of the instructor.

W Withdrawal —the student indicated the intent not to complete the class. This grade has no bearing on the student’s Kalamazoo Valley grade-point average.

V Audit —the student completed the class as an auditor and therefore may have elected not to take the required exams. No grade is assigned. The Kalamazoo Valley grade-point average is not affected.

CR —Credit for satisfactory completion

NC —No credit

S —Successful completion of a non-credit class

NS —Non-successful completion of a non-credit class

Kalamazoo Valley expects students to maintain a minimum 2.0 grade-point average for graduation and provides a full range of counseling, tutoring, and academic-support services to accomplish that result. Students who fall below this mark will receive targeted support under our academic probation policy to increase their opportunity to attain their goals. Financial aid students may be placed on Financial Aid Warning Status if their grade-point average falls below this minimum. Grades will be available on the web approximately four business days after the semester ends.

Grade and Refund Appeal Policies

Kalamazoo Valley understands that you may experience extenuating circumstances beyond your control that can prevent you from successfully completing or withdrawing from your courses, or which may warrant a tuition refund when the course has been withdrawn. The college considers extenuating circumstances to involve military duties, medical conditions, bereavement, permanent changes in employment, or if you are a victim of a crime, unexpected disaster, or life-changing event. Situations that were within your control, where you did not undertake appropriate communications or actions, and being unfamiliar with policies and procedures are not considered extenuating circumstances.

If you have received failing grades (0.0, NC) in courses due to a serious extenuating circumstance, you may appeal to have these courses withdrawn from your Kalamazoo Valley transcript. This process does not raise individual course grades or remove courses from your transcript. If you properly withdrew during a semester, or you have submitted a grade appeal, you may be eligible to receive a refund for extenuating circumstances for which supporting documentation can be provided.

Appeals must be submitted in writing no later than two years from the end of the semester for which the appeal is requested. All appeals must have attached supporting documentation. These requests will be reviewed by an appeal committee the first Friday of every month. A maximum of 16 credit hours will be considered for both grade and refund appeals.

Kalamazoo Valley also has repeat course and academic forgiveness policies. These policies do not require documented extenuating circumstances. You must only meet the required qualifications to have failing grades excluded from your grade point average (GPA). All attempts to complete a course successfully will remain on your transcript, but having lower or failing grades excluded will help your overall Kalamazoo Valley GPA.

The repeat course policy allows for the exclusion of previous or lower grades. Only the highest or most recent grade will be calculated into the GPA. The academic forgiveness policy is intended for students who struggled during a period of their academic pursuit and stepped away for a period of at least five years. Upon your return, once you have successfully completed 15 credit hours with grades of 2.0 or better, you may appeal to have a maximum of 16 credit hours in courses with 0.0 or NC grades excluded from your GPA. There can be no more than two withdrawals from class during the time in which the 15 credit hours are completed.

Contact the Admissions, Registration and Records office for more information and the forms to submit your appeal. You may email us at arr@kvcc.edu, call us at 269.488.4281, or visit us in room 9140 on the Texas Township Campus.

Graduation Information

Procedure for Graduation

You can access your Degree Works audit via MyValley, under the My Links section to view the list of required courses for your declared program of study, what courses have been completed and applied towards your degree, the semester completed, and the grade you received.
If, after reviewing your Degree Works program, you find discrepancies, call Student Development Services to make an appointment with a counselor at 269.488.4100 (TTC) or 269.373.7834 (ACC) before filing your Petition for Graduation.
To be eligible for graduation, you must meet all of the prescribed course and credit hour requirements for your specific curriculum. Courses below a 100 level do not apply toward degree requirements.
You must complete and submit your Petition for Graduation online before you can graduate.

Requirements for graduation with an associate degree, certificate, or certificate of achievement may be completed during any enrollment period. Commencement ceremonies are held at the end of the fall and winter semesters. August graduates are invited to attend the fall commencement ceremony.

For more detailed graduation procedures and commencement information, click on the Graduation/Petition to Graduate link within your My Links section of MyValley.

Honors

You will be granted your college degree or certificate “With Honors” if you have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher for all academic work attempted. Students graduating with honors receive special recognition in the published commencement program.

Assurance of Competence and Quality

Kalamazoo Valley Community College seeks to educate and graduate students of high quality, fully competent to perform the skills specified in their program of study, and in the general education requirements of the college’s degree and certificate programs. Kalamazoo Valley offers assurance to its students, their prospective employers, and transferring institutions that students who receive degrees or certificates with a 2.0 average or better are fully capable of competent performance.

Subject to the conditions of the Assurance of Competence and Quality, students obtaining employment within one year of earning a degree or certificate in an occupational program with a 2.0 average or higher can be expected to perform competently in the area in which they were instructed. Any employer who views a Kalamazoo Valley graduate as not possessing appropriate entry-level skills, and can specify such deficiencies, may request remediation. Upon being granted such a request, the student will be permitted to retake the specified course or courses without payment of tuition or materials fee.

Subject to the conditions of the Assurance of Competence and Quality, students transferring to a baccalaureate degree-granting institution within one year of earning an associate degree in an approved transfer program with a 2.0 average or higher shall possess the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully complete junior-year courses in the same field of study. The college will, upon the recommendation from the institution to which the student transferred and the approval from the appropriate college official, permit the student to retake a specified course or courses in the areas deemed deficient without payment of tuition or materials fee.

Guest Student Policy

Students applying to Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC) will have the option of self-identifying as a Guest Student. A typical Guest Student is defined as a student planning to take no more than 15-credit hours at KVCC with the expectation that the credits completed at KVCC will be transferred to another College or University. Initially, KVCC will assume a WAG student has met all course prerequisites and/or reading, writing, and math test scores.

The following policy, as revised, will apply to all self-identified Guest Students effective with the summer 2017 (201730) semester:

Guest Students will be given a WAG code which waives all prerequisites and/or reading, writing, and math test scores up to the 15-credit hour limit. Faculty, department chairs, and deans may require a Guest Student to verify compliance to course prerequisites and/or reading, writing, and math test scores to remain in the course.
After a Guest Student has completed 15-credit hours the WAG code will be removed and all required course prerequisites will be enforced including reading, writing, and math test scores.
If a Guest Student registers for greater than 15-credit hours he/she is encouraged to submit official transcripts to KVCC and meet with a Counselor.
Official transcripts submitted by Guest Students will only be evaluated by the Degree Auditor if a program of study has been identified. If a program of study has not been identified the official transcripts will be scanned and attached to the student’s record.
Guest Students as defined herein will not be counted as part of any program cohort for reporting purposes.

Transcripts

A complete record, known as a transcript, of a student’s enrollment, grades earned, and awards and honors conferred by Kalamazoo Valley is permanently maintained by the Admissions, Registration and Records office.

In compliance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, a student may access their transcript at any time through written authorization or by using the online self-service feature of My Valley on the Kalamazoo Valley website.

A student seeking to attend another educational institution is commonly asked to provide an official copy of a transcript. State organizations evaluating license qualifications, and prospective employers also ask for official transcripts.

Reference our transcript request instructions online or contact the Admissions, Registration and Records office at 269.488.4281.